The Inciting
by Penelope of Ithaca Jaded
Summary: Ele Johnson lives a typical Vegas life until she has an encounter at her old home she can't explain when Sam and Dean come asking questions at her school. She believes but never sees, but her ex sees. Something is sending Ele a message, but only incites her to find a hidden power within herself. Can Sam and Dean help her solve her own mystery after she helps them solve the case?


The Doctor had many secrets.

Not that he wanted to keep secrets, he just had no one with whom to share them.

One secret in particular weighed on his hearts like no other.

Prologue

Remote Island of Aegina: Aegean Sea

780 B.C.

Lullaby:

"Αλλά σας παραγγείλω, κοιμάστε, το μωρό μου, κοιμάστε τη θάλασσα και κοιμάστε το τεράστιο κακό και αφήστε να εμφανιστεί κάποια αλλαγή του νου, ο πατέρας Δίας"

"But I order you, sleep, my baby, sleep too the sea, and sleep vast evil, and let some change of mind, Father Zeus, appear from you…," she sang over again.

The gentle voice is hushed but beautiful and soothing. A tear hits the baby's cheek where it is absorbed not lost. The baby wakes not and is unaware that sweet voice has disappeared as sleep envelopes it.

There is faint rustling, a kiss is planted, and then only the sounds of the faint breeze that caresses the infant are left. Many moments pass; footsteps break the peace, but the baby does not wake.

The orphan has been discovered.

Chapter One

Las Vegas, Nevada

2013

Something unexplainable seemed to be driving the car other than me. I hadn't been to Snow Finch since it was lost to me. There were too many memories of failure lurking within its walls - better left alone. However, that day, I _had_ to see it.

And just like that, I was at the front door, ringing the bell. _What? What am I doing?_ Before I could finish that thought, the door slowly opened. I opened my mouth, but nothing would come out, and the tall, lanky teenage boy just stared at me from behind another world in which he was caught up. After a few seconds of silence, he started to shut the door, but I raised my hand to stop him.

"Well, whadda you want?"

"I, I uh…," I stopped mid sentence, when I noticed a young girl standing midway up the staircase. She was not alone. An enormously fat man stood behind her with his hand on her shoulder. What took my words was the look on her face. Her eyes were wide with fear and were begging me for help. The man wore a sneer on his face.

He too locked eyes with me. _Do I know him?_ Suddenly, he flew to the door, and it slammed shut, knocking me back on my ass.

 _What the hell?_

Instinct said _RUN_ , so I that's exactly what I did. I ran like a werewolf's next victim through the woods, all the way to my soccer-mom van.

 _That did NOT just happen. He was ethereal! No, Ele, you were daydreaming; the kid shut the door in your face. Then why were you on your ass?_ Panic was creeping its way into my head.

Snow Finch wasn't that far from the Aliante; I guess that's why I ended up there, even though I hate casinos with a passion. I guess I was hoping a little monotonous slot play would take my mind off of what I'd just seen, but I was shaken to the core - so shaken I called _her._ I really didn't want to call her, but she was the only one that might not think I was bat-shit crazy. Who knew if she would come? I didn't want to think about that, so I wandered around the casino floor, through the grown-up playground of twinkling lights and tinkling machines, until I settled on a game - Jeanie.

It was there that she found me, hands shaking, tears running down my cheeks, consuming the last drop of my third Bud, breathing extremely shallow.

"Oh my god, you look like shit!" she was smug, but she was there.

"Ah….uh…." was all I could manage, then I snatched her cigarette out of her hand, taking a long puff and coughing.

My head was spinning with thought, _I think I saw a big fat ghost and he glared at me before slamming the door of our old house so hard in my face that it knocked me on straight on my ass._

What actually came out, "Saw…..gho…..glar….ed….door…..knock….AAAAH." I took another puff, this time with less coughing.

The expression on her face told me she thought I was out of my mind, but then it changed to empathy? _I knew she would understand!_

"Slow down," then to the cocktail waitress, "Bring us four of these, and hurry," waiving my empty Bud bottle. She took the seat at the machine next to me, leaning in close, "You are having a panic attack. Don't try to talk, just drink when that bitch gets back with our beer. I'll be right back - don't worry." I must have given her _the look_ because then she added, "What? I didn't like the way she looked at you."

She left her cigarette with me, and walked off toward the front desk somewhere. I kept smoking. I DO NOT smoke, but I finished that cigarette. The waitress was back sooner than I expected and handed me all four beers, only because it was obvious that I was still crying my eyes out in spurts. I didn't care, and I didn't even speak to her; all I could think about was that thing's face and the face of the little girl. _I just left her! What kind of person am I? Oh my god! I should go back! Should I go back? What is he doing to her? And the boy?_ And the sobs overtook me again.

It seemed an eternity passed before Dee returned. She picked up two empty bottles, and made a tsk noise. Raising her eyebrows, she took one of the remaining full bottles, and began to swig. "Finish this, and let's go upstairs."

"Wha…?"

She didn't reply, but changing her mind on the spot hooked her arm in mine and led me to an elevator.

At first I wasn't sure what to think, and then I just quit thinking. She made it easy. As soon as we entered the room on the 10th floor, she drew me a bath in the huge jetted tub. I doubted her intentions or what I felt, but all the same I allowed her to undress me piece by piece and help me into the steamy water. I was as helpless a little child; all I could manage was breathing. I let her do all the work. She left me alone for a little while, but I could hear her laughing a few times at something on the TV.

Finally, she reappeared in the doorway, a smile on her face that I hadn't seen for over a year. I could tell she was drinking in the details of a body she once claimed her own. No words passed either of our lips. Our gazes locked as she guided me out of the tub, patted me down, and enveloped me in a soft terry-cloth robe. My breathing was still ragged, but my senses were heightened; Deven led me to the California King. We laid together; she held me tight. Somewhere in that sweet, innocent embrace listening to only the hypnotic hum of the hotel air conditioner and the beating of Deven's heart, the panic finally fled, and I found sleep.

Chapter Two

Thirty tenth graders were crammed and complaining on top of one the small tables, as two unexpected visitors entered my sixth period English class. Two handsome gentlemen in suits held up FBI badges as the kids _ooo-ed_ and _aaah-ed_. My point about Elie Wiesel's trip to Auschwitz via cattle car, having been made, I released them from the table just as the bell rang. They all made a bee-line for the door.

"Miss Ele Johnson?" the taller one asked.

"Yes."

The two eyed each other, and the shorter one, looked me up and down hungrily.

 _Cute._ "May I see those badges again?" I asked, wondering what the FBI would need from me. They pulled them out - Brad Delp and Dennis Young - after reading their names, it was my turn to smirk a little. "Have a seat." They took the two chairs at the table next to my desk. "Officers, what brings you to English 10?"

"Did you used to live on Snow Finch?" Young asked.

I swallowed hard, as I saw the fat man's face, "Yes, but not for a few years."

"Did you visit two days ago?"

 _Oh shit, something happened! Keep calm! But they aren't really FBI - why would police pose as FBI?_ "Okay, Delp, Young, is it? Who are you, really?" I demanded, thinking that would throw them for a loop.

They remained calm, and tall, luscious locks shook his head and kept on going, "Miss Johnson, uh, Ele?" I nodded for him to go on. "This is serious." His partner seemed a tad distracted, shaking his leg nervously.

I was amazed at their audacity; I stood up,looked at mister shakey, "Okay, you got me." And that's when I broke out in song, "I've got a secret, I've been hiding under my skin, then in the tall one's direction, "I'm gonna take you by surprise and make you realize, Amanda!"

I was in front of Delp, my knee touching his shaking leg. He was speechless, looking like a student who got caught cheating on a test. I could feel his heart speeding. Mine was too, for a moment. Then the taller one, Young, broke the awkward pause, "Look, okay, you got us," he eyed his partner who suddenly shook it off. "I'm Sam, and uh, and this is my brother Dean."

"Oh, so you're not…"

"Uh, no, sorry," Sam offered, clearing his throat.

"Okay, well then, why on earth would you say you were?"

"You see it's this thing we….," Dean trailed off as I gave him the evil eye I like to give the students. Same effect!

"There's been a murder at your old home," Sam began.

My knees gave way as my heart sank, _He killed her! OMG! And I did nothing!_ Dean conveniently swept me into his lap before quickly standing and giving me his seat. I collected myself as rage was replacing shock and guilt. I wanted the smirk wiped clean from his fat face!

"Don't worry, you are not a suspect..." Dean began.

"And you're not FBI," I cut him off, not in a disrespectful tone, just a confused one. "You can't be police?"

"Look, my brother Sammy and I, well we investigate…."

It slipped, "The supernatural….,oh my god, you think…. you think you're the Winchesters! Ha! I've read the series. Makes sense now. You should go now." They probably thought I was crazy, and they probably were cops.

"Ele, please," Dean tried.

"Miss Johnson!" I huffed.

"Miss Johnson….." he said trying to calm me.

"Don't Miss Johnson me! This is a school…why?"

"Miss Johnson, we'll go," Sam said gently. "Please, reconsider talking with us. Here's my number." He ushered Dean out, then turned and added, "You obviously know something out of the ordinary took place."

The door closed. I promptly sat down at my desk, picked up my phone, and called Deven. No answer.

Austin Moore Street

"You think this guy is going to talk to us after what just happened. And by the way, what _did_ just happen anyway? That never happens!"

"Dean, let me do the talking."

"I don't think it matters who does the talking, he's not going to talk to us. You know she called him as soon as we left, lucky bastard."

Sam let out a long sigh, "Dean, I did some digging on the drive over; they are divorced. Looks like it was pretty ugly."

"How did you find that out in 20 minutes?"

"Facebook."

"Fine."

Sam rang the doorbell. After a few sounds of yelling children and shuffling from within, a curly haired, busty girl with a tank top and basketball shorts opened the door slightly. "Yes?"

"Hello, is Deven León home?"

"She's not here, sorry."

"She?"

"Yeah, she."

"Well, could you give her this number, please? It's important." Dean recovered with a smile, stifling a chuckle.

The girl took the card, shut the door, and Dean let loose, "Well-played, Sammy. Facebook, huh?"

"Deven didn't have one, only Ele."

Dean just shook his head.

As Dean started _Baby_ , there was a tap on his glass. They had been so baffled they hadn't noticed anyone approaching. He rolled down the window, and she immediately started talking.

"Is this about Snow Finch?"

"Huh," escaped Dean's mouth before Sam jumped in.

"Ah, yes. Are you Deven?" Sam asked.

"Ah, yes. Are you police?"

"Noooooo!" Dean emphasized, not sure how they _were_ going to explain what they were.

"Good. Didn't think so." Deven eyed the two for a moment, as if making a decision. "I'll get her to talk." She began walking back to the house.

"Great! Um..." Sam half yelled out the window.

"I'll text you a location," she said, and disappeared through the door.


End file.
